Torch Feedback KELLER'S TNA PPV REPORT 5 YEARS AGO: Styles vs. Raven headlines, plus D-Lo, Dusty, Flair, Watts, Jarrett, Duggan, Juvi (03-19-03)
Mar 21, 2008 - 1:22:25 PM
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By Wade Keller and James Caldwell
NWA-TNA PPV #36
MARCH 19, 2003
LIVE FROM NASHVILLE, TENN
-Glen Gilberti called D-Lo to the ring. He said he wasn't happy with Sonny Siaki's pitch to him last week. D-Lo came out. Siaki apologized to him. Gilberti, who referred to himself as "Disco Inferno" Glen Gilberti, told him that if he's used to a glass ceiling in WWE, he has yet to experience the concrete ceiling in TNA. He blamed Jeff Jarrett for being a huge egomaniac who won't let him rise any further. After several minutes, Jeff Jarrett walked out onto the stage. He told D-Lo that if he believed Gilberti's words, he'd believe he just got off the phone with Vince McMahon and McMahon wants him back because he's ready to push him. Jarrett said he thought he cut the head off SEX (Vince Russo), and now apparently the ass (Gilberti) is running things. Jarrett asked D-Lo to "trust me on this." D-Lo said he trusted WWE officials for nearly eight years and it got him nowhere. D-Lo said he was promised a title shot when TNA called. He said "Disco" is starting to make some sense. "Where in the hell is my title shot?" he asked. Jarrett laid down his belt and said, "You'll get your title shot, but it's starting to sound to me that you want a damn hand out." Then Erik Watts, David Flair, and Brian Lawler attacked Jarrett. D-Lo made the save, but he got overwhelmed by the heels, including the Harris Brothers, Gilberti, and Siaki. Dusty Rhodes came out and threw some bionic elbows, but eventually he was overwhelmed. Then America's Most Wanted and Ron "The Truth" Killings came out to finally even the odds. That was Killings's first appearance in the ring in many weeks after sitting in the crowd in recent weeks. Jarrett and Killings hugged in the ring and stood by AMW, Dusty, and D-Lo as the heels retreated to ringside. Good, old-style segment with intensity as the battle lines were drawn.
-Tenay said that answered all the questions they had about the allegiance of Ron "The Truth" Killings.
-They went to a pre-taped interview with Raven standing mid-ring saying he is destined to be the NWA Heavyweight Champion. He said he would use any means necessary to eliminate A.J. Styles on his way to the title.
1 -- LOW KI & ELIX SKIPPER (w/Christopher Daniels) [champs] vs. BRIAN LEE & SLASH (w/James Mitchell) -- NWA Tag Team Title match.
The match began with a three-on-two brawl at ringside. The match returned to the ring at 2:00 with Lee beating up Low Ki. Elix did a cool "Matrix" type rebound from a clothesline by Slash. Then Low Ki hit a flying kick to the back of his head. Triple X took over offense for a while. Elix lifted Slash and Low Ki dove off the top rope with a knee onto Slash's chest. Slash eventually hot-tagged Lee, who threw Ki into the ref. Then he followed up with a tombstone attempt, but Daniels made the save with the tag title belt. Slash then blindsided Daniels with a bit boot. Skipper then surprised Slash with a kick to the gut, but Slash clotheslined him in return. Key then hit Slash from behind. Slash quickly came back with a Whirly Bird and went for the cover, but the ref was out. Skipper slammed Slash onto the tag title belt. When the ref began to count, Malice made the save for Slash. He gave Elix a mega-big-boot which Elix sold really well. He then powerbombed Daniels and Skipper one after another. When Low-Ki went after Malice, Malice chokeslammed him as Slash and Lee cheered him on.
WINNERS: Triple X won via DQ at 8:00 for Malice's interference.
STAR RATING: **1/2 -- Very good tag match. Exciting final few minutes especially, with Malice looking really strong with his run-in.
-A sitdown interview aired with Tenay and Watts. Watts said his father, "Cowboy" Bill Watts, was the greatest promoter ever, and he fired a number of people. He said those people happened to get into power and tried to get back at Bill by holding him back.
-Disco Inferno chewed out the SEX troops backstage. He told Holly Wood he wanted to see her strip Athena of her top later.
-Konnan was put in the rapid fire question Interrogation Room. He commented on some celebrities (picked Kobe Bryant over Tracy McGrady; what about Kevin Garnett). He lost his temper when he was asked about the X Division vs. lucha libre style. Konnan must've felt Tenay was mocking him for the luchadors' losing stream against X Division wrestlers.
2 -- JUVENTUD GUERRERA & KONNAN vs. JERRY LYNN & JASON CROSS
Lynn and Juvi worked the opening few minutes as Konnan yapped from the ring apron at fans. Cross tagged in, and a few minutes later Konnan tagged in and went after him immediately with aggressive techniques such as choking him over the middle rope. Lynn intervened, but as the ref was distracted by Lynn, Juvi nailed Cross. Juventud hit Lynn with a springboard sunset flip. Cross hit his Crossfire, although he didn't land solid, on Lynn and scored a two count. West said if he had landed solid that would have been it. Juvi then landed a Senton splash, although it didn't hit clean, either. Seconds later Konnan second a pin on Lynn using the middle rope for leverage.
WINNER: Konnan & Juventud when Konnan pinned Lynn at 9:22.
STAR RATING: **1/2 -- Another good tag match. Not everything was smooth, but a lot of it was. Exciting match with a good mix of personalities and styles.
-Goldy Locks interviewed Kid Kash who said his valet Trinity is not responsible for his success, but even if she's helped, that's the way the business works. Kash refused to allow Trinity to to answer a question from Goldy. Amazing Red got in Kash's face and asked when the interference from Trinity would stop. Red challenged Trinity to wrestle him later. Kash said, "She's a girl." Trinity was upset that he demeaned her as "just a girl." Kash said the only way he could get his hands on her was to go through him first. Red took that as meaning he was accepting a three-way dance. Kash called Red a "little prick."
3 -- GLEN GILBERTI & MIKE SANDERS vs. HACKSAW DUGGAN & MOONDOG SPOT
At first Duggan took on both Sanders and Gilberti. At 1:00 Moondog Spot came out. Tenay said he assumed that meant Spot was his partner. Gilberti said he wasn't going to be embarrassed by wrestling Spot and walked off, calling Tenay an "asshole" before walking away. Tenay said if Spot embarrassed Gilberti, what about "Disco Inferno." That left Sanders in the ring to get beat up by Spot and Duggan.
WINNER: Duggan & Spot at 2:01 when Spot pinned Sanders.
STAR RATING: 1/4* -- Not much to it.
-Tenay said he just got word on his headset that Kash-Trinity-Red was on.
-Goldy interviewed Mitchell, Malice, Lee, and Slash. Mitchell said he is okay with not winning the tag belts yet. They just wanted to soften them up. He said because Triple X work for Vince Russo, it proves they are mindless drones. He issued a "S&M Match," a sadistic mayhem eight-man tag match. He said they'd get another partner to join them against Triple X and the Harris Brothers.
4 -- KID KASH [champ] vs. TRINITY vs. AMAZING RED -- X Title match.
As Kash argued with Trinity about wrestling in the match, Red dropkicked her off the ring apron. At 2:00, just as Trinity was about to enter the ring, Red whipped Kash into her, knocking her off the apron again. Kash springboarded off the top rope and flipped across the entire ring and hit Red with a dropkick. The move looked like it hurt Kash more than Red, though, as he landed with a thud on his back. He went for a pin, but only got a two count. He hit a neckbreaker and a shoulder breaker for another two count. Kash went for a top rope powerbomb, but Red reversed it into a huracanrana. Both men were hurt. When he went back to the top rope, Trinity kicked him off. She then went to the top rope and flew at Red with a flying head scissors. She followed with a tornado DDT and a flying head scissors. Kash then hit Red from behind with a roll through German suplex into a bridge for a three count.
WINNER: Kash at 5:58 to retain the X Title.
STAR RATING: **1/2 -- Some sloppiness, but the ambition, impact, and pacing was enough to keep it above average.
5 -- ERIK WATTS & DAVID FLAIR & BRIAN LAWLER vs. D-LO BROWN & JEFF JARRETT & DUSTY RHODES.
D-Lo worked the majority of the match on defense. Near the end, he hot-tagged Jarrett who got in a few spots before scoring the pin.
I'd venture to say the average age of two members of The Next Generation (Watts and Lawler) are older than the majority of others on the TNA roster.
WINNER: Jarrett & D-Lo & Dusty at 8:20.
STAR RATING: *1/2 -- Nothing special at all.
-After the match Killings celebrated with Jarrett and Dusty. D-Lo had already returned to the back, although he saluted Dusty and Jarrett before doing so. Killings lifted Jarrett on his shoulders, but then powerbombed him. The Next Generation attacked Jarrett and Dusty as Killings walked out of the building. Watts tied up Jarrett to his limo by the throat and then teased driving off. Watts stopped, though, and said, "Did you really think I was going to drag your ass down the street? I don't want to go to jail." He said he has something better for him, mind-games. He untied Jarrett and then drove off.
-The New Church headed to the SEX dressing room, but found it apparently empty. Then they were attacked from behind by the SEX crew.
-Holly Wood and Athena brawled in the ring. Siaki yelled at Athena, once she knocked out Holly, to rip off Holly's top. Siaki said he'd rather see her "titties" than Athena's "floppy" ones. Athena slapped him. West yelled, "Parent's, cover your eyes." Siaki then gave Athena a piledriver. David Young made the save before any "titties" could be revealed.
6 -- RAVEN vs. A.J. STYLES
Raven bled heavily. A.J. hit Raven with a flying legdrop off the top rope through a table at ringside, taking out of the ref in the process. Glen Gilberti then interfered and powerbombed Styles over the top rope through a table at ringside. Raven then struggled to get up, climb a ladder, and grab the contract for a title shot from Jeff Jarrett to win a match.
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